A “Sugar Tong” splint is a splint that is used to immobilize both lower arm bones so there is no motion relative to themselves—in other words an anti-rotation splint of the forearm. The indications for these types of splints are: distal radius or ulna fractures, and fractures of the wrist and elbow. Advantages of the splint are that it greatly restricts rotation of the forearm—supination and pronation of the forearm—while allowing for swelling and providing excellent strength. The name of the splint is derived from its appearance which is reminiscent of sugar tongs used to pick up cubes of sugar.
One of the disadvantages of this conventional sugar tong splint is the time involved and skilled technique required to properly make the splint and apply it to the patient. For example, each sugar tong splint is custom made to fit each patient using components such as adhesive tape, gauze, strips of casting tape, and bandage, which then must be cut to size with scissors and pieced together. Strips of splint or casting material must be selected for the correct dimensions and its length cut to match the patient's arm, moistened sufficiently but not overly, applied precisely to the patient's wrist/forearm/elbow regions, leaving gaps in key areas to accommodate for swelling. The technician must also carefully wrap and smooth out folds and creases, etc., to ensure efficacy and comfort for the patient.
The splint typically includes or is impregnated with hardenable material such as plaster, fiberglass, resin, etc. Thus, applying the splint to the patient correctly and doing so before the hardenable material begins to set, cure, or harden involves a time constraint. Due to this time constraint, once the hardenable material sets, cures, or hardens, no further adjustments can be made to accommodate for increase or decrease in swelling, to increase range of motion of the injured joint, to enable exercising the injured limb, to remove creases or smooth out bunched material, etc.
Thus, having an off-the-shelf bracing system ready to go offers greater ease and flexibility to doctors, cast technicians, and therapist to treat arm fractures more efficiently and effectively at the hospital, clinical, and therapeutic levels.